PS.Biotope protection decided by the National Board of Forestry

It is common for habitats that have a significant impact on plant and animal species to be found only as small scattered islands in a more ubiquitous landscape. Swedish legislation provides for the possibility to designate areas such as biotope protection areas. The Forest Agency is responsible for this area protection if the biotops are on forest land, on other land, the county administrative boards are responsible. According to the legal text, the areas eligible for this status are ‘smaller areas of land or water which constitute the habitat for endangered animal or plant species or which otherwise deserve special protection’. Thus, according to the legal text, the objective of creating biotope protected areas is relatively unambiguous as regards biological values. It is common for the protected areas to be between 2 and 10 hectares, but they can be up to around 20 hectares. The right to travel and stay can be regulated in the areas, but otherwise no regulations or prohibitions are formulated for each particular area. Instead, there is a general rule from the legal text, according to which no activity or measures may be carried out in the areas which could harm the natural environment.